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Month: October 2019

JCB Opens New £50 million Germany HQ

Posted on by David Priestman

JCB Chairman Lord Bamford has officially opened a new headquarters for one of its most important European businesses in an investment worth around £50 million.

JCB Germany – which was founded in 1965 – is now operating from a brand new facility on a 12 acre site in Cologne following one of the biggest investments in JCB’s history. The new HQ includes offices for 75 employees and a training centre for use by customers and JCB Germany’s network of dealers which employ a further 2,000 people.

Lord Bamford unveiled a plaque to mark the opening during a conference at the new HQ attended by JCB’s largest 50 dealers from around the world.

He said: “Europe has been a very significant market for JCB since the 1950s and this facility is a great example of our investment in future growth. JCB has operated in Germany for more than 50 years and it is a crucial market for JCB because it is Europe’s second largest construction equipment market and the fifth largest in the world. This investment will help JCB deliver sales growth in the years ahead.”

The new HQ is triple the size of JCB Germany’s former facility in Cologne and is situated at the heart of Germany’s largest industrial area, the Rhine-Ruhr zone. It has excellent transport links, with the A4 Autobahn connecting the new HQ to the Netherlands and Belgium and the A1 Autobahn linking it to northern and southern Germany.

The new HQ – which includes a showroom for JCB’s latest machines – will host 3,000 delegates a year for sales and technical training as well as holding operator training courses in a specially constructed demonstration area for construction and agricultural dealers.

Linde Material Handling Expands Lithium-ion Portfolio

Posted on by David Priestman

Linde Material Handling is expanding its lithium-ion battery portfolio. For trucks in the load capacity range from 2 to 3.5 tons (Linde E20 to E35), the existing 24.1 kWh and 60.3 kWh battery versions have been complemented by a larger variant with 84.6 kWh capacity, which is designed for energy-intensive three-shift applications found in the paper and beverage industries, for example. A new medium-capacity battery has been added for industrial trucks in the load capacity range between 3.5 and 5 tons.

Here, Linde Material Handling closes the gap between the smaller (36.2 kWh) and the larger (118.4 kWh) battery with a 66.3 kWh battery. Last but not least, a second battery size of 64.7 kWh is now available for the 6-8 ton forklift trucks as a supplement to the existing 118.4 kWh battery.

All new 90 Volt batteries are compatible with the 9 kW, 17 kW and 30 kW chargers on offer. The choice of charger also depends on the application requirements: If there is little time available for charging, the station needs to be appropriately powerful. If, on the other hand, the charging process may take longer, a smaller charger is sufficient.

Trailer Fan Adds Comfort to Manual Load/Unload

Posted on by Keith McKinley

When loading and unloading trailers manually, temperature conditions inside the trailer can quickly get worse, thus reducing the concentration and efficiency of workers considerably.

Rite-Hite’s CoolMan trailer fan is specifically designed for manual parcel loading and unloading applications to provide effective air conditioning in the work area.

The fan swivels on a unique bracket to service two loading dock openings. Thanks to the practical T-Style handle, the CoolMan can easily be adjusted vertically or horizontally and quickly be pushed aside for full access to forklift traffic. The pivoting motion allows for perfect positioning and directional air flow. Three levels of air flow can be adjusted. By sucking in warm or cool air, the temperature inside the trailer adapts to the ambient temperature inside the plant.

Energy can be saved by setting a variable auto-off timer up to 180 minutes. Additionally, the CoolMan can be equipped with LED loading dock lights providing effective lighting of the trailer and increasing safety in the loading zone. An optional motion detector senses when a forklift or person is leaving the trailer and the intensity of the lighting will automatically be reduced to 25%. After 30 minutes of inactivity, the light output will be reduced to the lowest setting.

Palletways Hungary Celebrates First Anniversary

Posted on by David Priestman

Palletways Hungary, part of Europe’s largest and fastest growing express palletised freight network, is celebrating its first anniversary with record volumes and a rapidly growing membership base.

The network, which started with eleven members from across the country, transported around 100 pallets a day in its first month of operation. Over the past 12 months this figure has risen significantly, with more than 500 pallets now moved on a daily basis.

Further underlining its exponential growth, Palletways Hungary reached a significant milestone last month, shipping a total of 50,000 pallets since its initial launch.

With the main hub in the western suburbs of Budapest, Palletways Hungary currently has a total of 16 members servicing routes across the country, with the most recent addition being Ekol Logistics located in south of the capital.

Customers in the UK and in Hungary have access to a full range of domestic and international services including: a domestic next-day Premium service across Hungary, an Economy service and morning deliveries. All of these services are provided with Palletways’ Track and Trace technology.

Luis Zubialde, Chief Executive Officer of Palletways Group said: “It underlines a period of extensive development for the Palletways Group, with the additional announcement of a new operating area in three Nordic countries last autumn.”

More Firms on an ‘Intelligent’ Path, says Survey

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Zebra Technologies’ “Intelligent Enterprise Index” indicates a record 61 percent of enterprises worldwide are on the path to becoming “intelligent,” compared to only 49 percent in 2018.

This global survey analyzes the extent to which companies connect the physical and digital worlds to drive innovation through real-time guidance, data-powered environments and collaborative mobile workflows. Their “Intelligent Enterprise” Index scores are calculated using 11 criteria that include Internet of Things (IoT) vision, adoption, data management, intelligent analysis and more.

Based on these criteria and driven by an overwhelming pressure to improve the customer experience, retail organizations have gained the most momentum in the last 12 months, graduating from the bottom of the 2018 vertical Index rankings to nearly the top of the 2019 list, second only to Healthcare.

The number of companies defined as truly “intelligent enterprises” by achieving a score of 75 points or greater on the Index has also risen year over year. Seventeen (17) percent of organizations with at least 250 employees crossed this threshold in 2019 versus only eleven percent in 2018. Interestingly, 37 percent of surveyed small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with 50-249 employees scored 75 points or greater on the Index, indicating SMBs with an IoT vision are in many cases more “intelligent” than large enterprises.

“When we launched the Intelligent Enterprise Index three years ago, many enterprises were trying to understand where and how IoT solutions could be best applied within their unique business environments,” said Drew Ehlers, Global Futurist, Zebra Technologies. “We now see more urgency to improve operational visibility and facilitate the delivery of actionable intelligence all the way to the edge of the enterprise. I believe that is why enterprises are now demonstrating a much greater commitment to executing their IoT plans and why we’ll likely see a surge in investments over the next few years.”

 

New Products and Range Extensions Added to Packaging Website

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Kite Packaging has extended several of its leading ranges and also bought new products to market, which it says is all part of the company’s ongoing drive to offer an extensive range of packaging through its leading B2B packaging website.

Nestable pick bins
Their new range of nestable pick bins manufactured from 100% recycled plastic content are the perfect addition to any business looking for robust, hard-wearing storage. They can be easily attached to louvered panels and feature a dipped front, providing users with an easy access entrance.

Staple guns
Staple guns are the ideal product for industries such as roofing, carpentry and warehousing as well as schools and office environments. Kite’s new range, suitable for light and heavy-duty applications, make easy work when stapling cardboard, wood, plastics and much more.

Oscillated steel strapping
Oscillated steel strapping offers remarkable strength and durability, making it the ideal material when binding medium and heavy-duty goods, being sure to prevent any movement. It is commonly used for securing heavy palletised loads, plywood cases and sharp-edged objects.

Friction weld tool
Kite says its premium cordless friction weld tool is perfect for use with both polypropylene and polyester strapping with widths of 12mm/13mm, enabling users to strap products or containers to seal, reinforce and/or fasten. With variable tensioning speeds it has been proven to increase production uptime.

Germany and Poland Hotspots in Q3 for Prologis

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Logistics real estate giant Prologis has released its third quarter financial numbers. European highlights picked out by the company are listed below.

• Demand remains healthy and customer sentiment holds. Supply chain reconfiguration remains a top priority.
o Demand hot spots were Germany and Poland
• Supply is driving divergence of markets, as land constraints drive capital to the markets with ample land, causing a surge in (spec) supply there.
o Rent growth strong in land-constrained markets
o Spec is slightly up, more than 50 per cent of volume.
o Supply hot spots were in order; Poland, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands
• Capital interest rises further, while cap rates continue to compress (-4bps q/q, -19bps y/y)
o Values (PLD) grew 2.1% q/q

Operating Performance as of September 30, 2019:

– Total portfolio: 17,5 million square metres*
– Period-end occupancy: 96.7%
– Total leasing activity: 671,715 square metres:
o 264,333 square metres of new leases
o 407,382 square metres of lease renewals

*includes: operating, development, held for sale, other and VAA/VAC

Capital Deployment – third quarter activities

Development
– Total development activity in the third quarter ran at 219,703 square metres:
o Eight build-to-suit starts with a combined total of 142,695 square metres in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and the United Kingdom
o Three speculative starts at a combined total of 77,008 square metres in France, Italy and the Netherlands

Acquisitions & Dispositions
– 15 buildings were acquired with a total net rentable area of 370,642 square metres in Hungary, Spain and the United Kingdom
– 4 land parcels were acquired with a total land area of 111,787 square metres in France, Germany and the Netherlands

– Two building dispositions took place, totalling 27,225 square metres in Italy and one land parcel of 41,966 square metres was sold in the United Kingdom

Highlights:
– Carbon-neutral facility at Muggensturm, Germany, wins LogixAward at Muggensturm
– Colonial acquisition: largest European logistics portfolio transaction to date of 2019
– European Prologis colleague raise funds for vital cancer research through Stelvio for Life

Clark Europe Strengthens Sales Effort in the Middle East

Posted on by David Priestman

Clark Europe has found a new sales partner for Israel with M.N. Systems with effect from 1st May 2019. With this appointment, the industrial truck manufacturer looks to expand its strong position in the Near and Middle East region.

M.N. Systems was founded in 1986 and is located in the Emek-Hefer Industrial Park near Netanya. The company began its operations in the heavy commercial vehicle sector and rapidly developed into a leading expert in the distribution of spare parts and components for workshops and manufacturers of trailers, semi-trailers, buses and trucks in Israel. Over the years, M.N. Systems has expanded its offering to include a variety of products such as vehicle systems, axles and suspensions, hydraulic and braking systems, electrical systems and components, traction batteries for forklift trucks, solar battery solutions including control panels, controllers and inverters, workshop accessories and accessories for buses & trucks, driver seats and seat systems for heavy equipment and forklift trucks, horse trailers and caravan accessories and spare parts.

As Clark’s partner in Israel, M.N. Systems will distribute the full Clark product range. In addition to all forklift classes and warehouse equipment trucks, this also includes all accessories and spare parts as well as services such as rental and maintenance for Clark new and used materials handling vehicles. With around 90 employees, M.N. Systems ensures professional sales with advice and customer support as well as fast service within Israel and the Palestinian territories.

“With M.N. Systems, we will further strengthen our market position in Israel and expand our business with customers in the Middle East. We are looking forward to the cooperation”, said Rolf Eiten, President & CEO of Clark Europe GmbH, at the signing of the contract.

Fire Protection Curtain Launched by Industrial Door Provider

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Industrial door provider Hörmann UK has launched its new FlexFire Protection Curtain, specifically designed to provide the construction and other industrial sectors with unrivalled smoke protection in the event of a fire.

Equipped with an intelligent FSA-FLEXControl hold-open device as standard, the curtain closes reliably if smoke develops. When combined with optical smoke detectors that monitor the door area, the hold-open device is compliant with the requirements outlined in EN 14637. The system can also be connected to the on-site fire alarm system for a complete fire protection offering, supported by an optional battery pack to bridge potential power failures.

Tested for fire loads of up to 120 minutes, the FlexFire Protection Curtain is both lightweight and compact, according to Hörmann. Its innovative construction features narrow side guides, which means the fire-proof textile curtain can be installed and remain inconspicuous to the internal structure of the building, for a seamless finish.

The curtain features concealed magnetic contacts fitted on the side guide to aid fast installation. This is also supported by a space saving shaft-housing unit with integrated tubular drive, which enables almost invisible integration to a building’s infrastructure.

If operated in combination with the FSA-FLEXControl Unit and line-monitored tubular drive, the system performs a full automatic teach-in run without the need for any mechanical adjustments, simplifying installation. Preassembled wiring also makes the door system very easy to fit and service.

Tom Langley, Projects Director for Hörmann UK, said: “Our new FlexFire Protection Curtain has been specifically designed to provide the highest standards in fire and smoke protection and meet all the relevant regulations. We are committed to continuous product development that offers innovative solutions to meet the ever-changing needs of our wide client base and our latest launch is reflective of this.”

The FlexFire Protection Curtain is available in galvanised steel as standard, with the opportunity to customise components in a RAL colour to suit the interior design of the building.

IntraLog Poland 2020 – AGV, AMR, Cobots and More

Posted on by David Priestman

A new expo in Poland explores intralogistics solutions, including AGVs, cobots and AMRs. IntraLog Poland (3-5 March 2020) is a new business show dedicated to internal logistics, new technologies in supply chain management and warehouse security.

AGV robots have become very popular recently as an intralogistics solutions in warehouses or logistics centres. They’re best known as mobile, unmanned robots that move along a designated path to transport various cargos. A great facilitation for people working with this type of robots is the ability to track production and logistics tasks. AGV robots are often connected to WMS (Warehouse Management System), which makes work in the warehouse more flexible and integrates systems. Manufacturers also calculate additional equipment parameters such as the ability to scan barcodes to verify products, check operation time of the machine and their versatility.

Cobots – Cooperating robots
Cobots or co-operating robots are a large group of AGV products, which are distinguished by their compactness, lightness and size. Unlike other AGV products, Cobots are quite new in the market. Their additional feature is the ease with which they can be programmed to work and are usually intended for repetitive activities such as lifting, assembly or packaging. Other tasks that are assigned to these robots are, for example: handling, operating machines and palletising. Another advantage of cooperating robots is that they can work independently or in groups, depending on the needs.

AMR – Autonomous Mobile Robots
Another type of AGV robots are AMR – autonomous mobile robots. Their main task is also to transport products, but they work differently than standard mobile trolleys. AMR is equipped with artificial intelligence and can choose their own routes using mounted cameras, scanners and sensors. These robots can manage their work themselves, they just need a map of their surroundings, which makes work easier and more flexible for them.

According to the estimates of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, about 2 million robots are in use by companies mainly in Germany, Japan and the US. The wide range of AGV robots makes it easier to work in many warehouses and thanks to them work becomes safer, faster, more efficient and the costs are reduced.

At IntraLog, exhibitors will have an opportunity to enable professionals involved in intralogistics to get acquainted with the new market novelties that covers management of warehouse space. It is important to seeking out new solutions and to keep up with changing trends and to make the processes in internal logistics more flexible. Organizer of IntraLog Poland 2020 invites companies offering AGV solutions to present their range of products and exchange experiences, solutions and to establish new valuable business relationships.

More info: IntraLog Poland 2020 International Intralogistics, Warehousing and Supply Chain Exhibition Date: 3-5 March 2020

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